Safety-pocket



(No Model.)

J. P. MQGUIRB.

SAFETY POCKET.

No 550,997. Patented D55; 1o, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. MCGUIRE, OF ATCHISON, KANSAS.

SAFETY-POCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,997, dated December 10, 1895.

Application iled February 1S, 1895 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. MCGUIRE, of Atchison, Atchison county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Pockets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention has relation to safety-pockets for garmentsfsuch as coats, vests, trousers, dreand the object in view is to provide a pocket wherein articles may be placed secure from accidental loss or from being withdrawn from the wearers pocket by an un authorized person without the wearer being aware of the withdrawal.

YVith this object in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed. l

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a view in perspective of the front portion of one side of a vest provided with pockets constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents asectional View taken on the line rc of Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. l and showing the pocket opened. Fig. 5 represents in side elevation the method of securing the elastic cord to the covering of a resilient strip, and in perspective the method of securing the elastic tape to a resilient strip direct.

In the said drawings, l designates a vest, which is provided with the lower and upper pockets 2 and 3, respectively, in the usual manner. In order to keep the mouth of the pocket closed normally, I employ a resilient strip 4, of steel, whalebone, or any other material of sufficient strength and elasticity, which extends, preferably, from the front margin of the vest to the side seams and in rear and in the plane of the upper end of each pocket. It is essential that this strip shall project at each end beyond the end of the pocket; but it is not absolutely essential that it shall extend from the front margin of Athe vest to the side seams, as hereinbefore described and as illustrated, though with such length the vest is given a better set and neater appearance. This strip 4 is preferably coveredl by a suitable material 5, such as lining, which is stitched to the vest in any suitable manner, and thereby prevents the vest from becoming wrinkled and drawn out of shape and also operates effectually to hold the mouth of the pocket normally closed and lying flatly and snugly against the opposing portion of the vest or other garment.

6 designates an elastic tape or cord, which when stretched comparatively taut corresponds in length to the resilient or springmetal strip 4, hereinbefore described, and this tape or cord may be sewed or otherwise secured at its opposite ends to the lining material which covers the said resilient strip, as shown at 7, or may be secured directly to said resilient strip, as shown at 7a. In this case the said strip is provided with one or more apertures, through which the thread is passed to secure said parts together. When applied to the upper pocket in a vest or other gan ment,-I preferably employ an elastic tape instead of an elastic cord, so as to provide a more extended friction-surface upon a pencil, upon eyeglasses, or any other article which must be held secure and yet be easily detachable from position.

In the lower pocket it will be noticed that I employ a cord instead of a tape, because the upper end of the partition 8, which divides the pocket 2, may be more easily secured to slide thereon. Said partition is sewed to the bottom of the pocket'in any suitable manner, so as to form a second pocket 9 to contain change, as shown in Fig. 3, or any other valuable article, as it is evident that the article or articles contained in said pocket 9 could not be accidentally lost, even with the garment inverted, owingto the fact of the co-operation of the resilient strip 4, which prevents the vest from wrinkling, and the flexible cord 6, which causes the upper end of the partition 8 to lie snugly, smoothly, and tightly against the contiguous portion of the vest for its full length. It is apparent that these Yattachments-t'. e., the resilient strip and the flexible tape or cord and the partition, either in part or in whole-mayv be applied with equal IOO advantage and at a very small cost to hip.- pockets, Watcl1pockets, and pockets in any garment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V A pocket, having its mouth external or at the outer side of a garment, a resilient strip of suitable material secured internally of the garment at the upper end of the pocket to keep the same normally closed, in combination With an elastic strip secured at its oppo- 1 site ends to said resilient strip and extending' Within the pocket, and a partition dividing the pocket into two compartments, and secured at its lower and side edges to the material forming the pocket and slidingly at its upper edge on said elastic tapeor cord to permit the same to be expanded when required, substantially as described. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES P. INICGUIRE. iVitnesses:

M. R. REMLEY, G. Y. THORPE. 

